THE HEART OF RUI HANAZAWA
by Pandachan12
Summary: Last Episode


Rui Hanazawa waited with the rest of the crowd in the arena for Makino Tsukushi to arrive. She was late, extremely late. But although Makino was late, Rui had a gut feeling deep down inside that she was okay, and so he didn't have to worry about her.

The longer he waited with the rest of the crowd, the more he ached inside within the darkness of the arena. The whispers of the crowd in the dark were faint compared to the thoughts racing through his mind. Before he could say anything to Akira and Soujiro, the doors of the arena suddenly swung open, and everything fell silent.

Makino had pushed open the doors and had rushed in to find that her prom was over. She knew very well that she probably would have missed her graduation, but her prom as well?

"I didn't make it in time..." Makino stated to herself sadly.

A sudden realization that the moments she had been waiting for, the reasons why she had been suffering for years at Eitoku Academy for had all disappeared before she could even have a chance to enjoy them. But that wasn't the most important thing on her mind, the deepest regret she had at that very instant was that she didn't get to dance with Domyouji at her own prom. Looking down to the floor, Makino stood there in the darkness for what seemed like an eternity, the darkness of the arena hiding her sad face. However, before she could even start to cry, a voice suddenly shouted, "You're late!"

Makino slowly lifted her head up in the direction of the voice with puzzlement. Before her was a young man slowly walking towards her in a gold suit, strutting slowly with his hands in his pockets.

"Domyouji..."

Before Makino could speak further and criticize about his outfit, he stopped a few meters in front of her yelled at her saying, "What's with that outfit?" She was still in school uniform.

"What happened to the dress I sent you!" Domyouji yelled, seemingly upset.

Tsukushi realized that she really was in school uniform and had forgotten to get dressed for the prom, she really was that late. At first, she wondered what her punishment would be, whether Domyouji would drag her out of the room, or something drastic. Instead, Domyouji just laughed.

"I'm Tsukushi, the weed, after all. Dresses don't go with me."

In the darkness watching in from the sidelines, Rui Hanazawa silently disagreed.

He remembered the moments during Shizuka's party. When Shizuka took Makino away and dressed her up all pretty like, her outfit never seemed to look like it did not suit her. Dresses do go well with Makino, if they do not in Makino's mind, at the very least they do in the Rui Hanazawa's eyes. Even though back then Shizuka was filled in his mind, it was at that very same time back then that Makino slowly started to grow within Rui's heart.

Now, as Rui watched Makino and Domyouji speak to each other in the dark, something deep inside his heart slowly began to die. In silent agony, Rui could do nothing but watch on.

"Makino!" Domyouji began again.

"Mmm?" Makino replied, no longer upset about missing her graduation or prom, but entirely fixed upon her conversation with Domyouji.

"As the best girl, there's something I want to tell you."

"What?"

"Marry me!" Domyouji shouted aloud without delay, beaming.  
"Eh?" Makino replied.

Was he serious? Was this the same Domyouji she had punched out in the very beginning of it all?

Domyouji watched her response, and with a small smile stated, "You're going to marry me."

It was no longer a question anymore, but a statement, a command somewhat. But in all ways, it was a command of love. This was Domyouji's declaration of love.

For a while, Makino was silent. She stood quietly staring back at Domyouji who was but only a few feet away from her. Yes, this was really happening. Her dream of marrying Domyouji was slowly coming true, and much sooner than she had imagined!

Before she could answer, he lifted his hand up and outstretched it towards her as if signaling for her to come.

"Makino." He simply stated, and smiled patiently at her as she stared back at him still shocked by his statement.

Makino stared at his hand for a bit, wondering whether she should take it. This was a big step in life, and because it was Domyouji... it made the step even bigger.

For a small second she thought about the pain she had gone through, Kaeda Domyouji, Shigeru, Sakurako and Umi. So many rivals for Domyouji's life, so many wanting Domyouji's heart, and yet he wanted her. He chose her. Makino had gone through so much pain just because of Domyouji. Did she want to suffer still, just to be with him?

Before her mind could decide, her feet slowly instinctively walked towards Domyouji. One by one, step by step, her heart filled with warmth the closer she got towards Domyouji, as if he was her sun. But this wasn't the warmth of the sun that was filling her deep inside, it was the warmth of love. Domyouji's love.

The more she walked closer towards Domyouji, the more convinced she was that Domyouji was definitely the one. He was her true love, her destiny, her Saturnian heart. The closer she became to him, the more she believed that this was right, that this was the way things should be.

From a far, Rui Hanazawa watched silently with the rest of the crowd. But unlike the crowd, he was certain that his heart was not contained with excitement. It was filled with fear; the fear of pain again. No matter how much he tried to look away, he couldn't help but watch. He knew that no matter whether he looked or didn't, this pain he was afraid of would eventually come.

When Rui looked again, Makino had stopped walking and was now quite close to Domyouji. Domyouji's hand was now in front of her face, still outstretched. Makino had not taken it, yet. Perhaps there was still hope? But knowing Makino, Rui already knew that it was too late for him, no matter what.

Apart of Rui wanted to shout out, "Wait!" but he bit down the urge to do so. This was Domyouji's time now. Rui didn't want to be selfish.

"We've taken plenty of detours… and I've made you suffer plenty but… I still want to be with you."

Rui cringed in the darkness as he watched Domyouji make this speech, and for what was about to come next.

"So marry me." Domyouji said softly, completing his speech.

Makino looked up towards Domyouji in disbelief. Yes, she could confirm now that this was the Domyouji that she had punched before in her school cafeteria not so long ago, but now he was different. He had grown. No longer the angry young man that hated his mother, no longer the individual that wanted to sacrifice his own love life to save people's jobs, no. This was the Domyouji that loved Makino, completely and entirely, that was all.

"Oh well, I guess so." Makino replied, slightly turning her head to look away.

She did not want Domyouji to see how deep she was touched. She was still somewhat embarrassed with her emotions after all. However, when she looked at him again, Domyouji did not question her actions. Instead, he just smiled.

Finally, she lifted her arm to take his hand in hers. Whilst doing so, Rui Hanazawa's heart slowly began to shatter.

Things never work out for me with the girl I fall in love with... . . . .

When Rui looked at Makino and Domyouji again, Domyouji was lifting Makino up into his arms. The lights of the arena suddenly turned on and confetti started to fall. Moments after a large loud roar began from the patient audience that had been sitting silently in the dark for far too long. The silence of the crowd changed into bursts of cheer and a round of applause.

So this is how love dies, with a round of applause.

In defeat, Rui walked up to the lucky couple and with a smile stated, "Congratulations."

It was over. Domyouji had won.

He could now only be happy for them, because at the very end of the day, you only want what is best for the one you love. You want them to be happy, even though their happiness is not with you.

As the rest of the F4 took their turns to dance with Makino, Rui Hanazawa realized that soon his turn would come, and when he did, he had to brave a smile just for Makino when they danced. He found himself dancing mindlessly with the other girls, waiting for his turn to dance with Makino.

When he finally started dancing with Makino, he realized he could hold her close without any guilt. It was after all, just dancing. But to Rui, this was no ordinary dance. This was how he wanted Makino to remember him, and this is how he always wanted to remember Makino. Before they could exchange looks, he lifted Makino into the air, and grinned. Everyone who watched thought nothing of it, and only applauded.

It is no secret that Rui was proud of her. No matter what happens, he was the one who saw Makino first, and some way, somehow she will always be his Makino. The girl who took on the F4 with no regrets, and like a dandelion, from a weed, turned into her very own flower.

No matter what happens in life from now on. No matter what heartache or girls he comes across. He will always somehow deep down love Makino Tsukushi, the one that got away. Even though his change was not drastic as Domyouji, Rui Hanazawa had definitely changed because of her.

=================================

Sitting on a park bench, Rui Hanazawa played his violin. This song, a song he had just randomly made up was a song of farewell. He played it instinctively, as if he had played this song many times before. As he played, he was unsure why his song was so bittersweet, but the music that played were not of sheets, but of his own emotions deep within.

As he played, he noticed a little girl dressed in pink staring back at him, watching him play. It reminded him about the times Makino Tsukushi would catch him playing back at school, and would beg him to play again, and yet he refused. He stopped playing. Those days were over now.

He studied the girl carefully, this girl looked so much like Makino, and the resemblance was uncanny. Luckily, she was super short, so she was definitely not Makino.

"Here, you can have it." He said kindly as he offered the violin.

The girl walked closer to take the violin in her hands.

"You can play it once you grow up." He stated again, kindly.

"Arigato!" the little Makino looking girl stated in astonishment.

Rui could only pat her head, and walk away.

Even though the little girl was definitely not Makino, Rui couldn't help but think that this was another sacrifice for Makino; first his heart, now his violin – what next! But with this thought, Rui could only laugh. Yes, he had definitely changed, and it was all thanks to Makino.

It was at that moment he was certain that no matter what he gave away, no matter what he gave up, it would never amount to losing Makino. Though he may or may not be the destined 'Saturnian heart' that Domyouji is, and Domyouji may be Makino's sun. Rui was more than happy to just be Makino's guiding star. Like a star, he would watch over her, shine upon her, guide her, understand her dreams, her wishes, and even when the sun goes down, he will still be there for her.

Rui Hanazawa will always love Makino Tsukushi, and somewhere, somehow deep within one would hope that deep down inside Makino Tsukushi would always love Rui Hanazawa, because first loves never die. 


End file.
